


Sweet Nothings (One-Shots) | The Arcana

by Tatttletale



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships, M/M, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-07-04 22:58:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15851148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatttletale/pseuds/Tatttletale
Summary: . . . . "How long have you loved me?"Muriel almost choked. He felt his face set aflame as he snatched a glance at the magician. ". . . What?"He smiled softly. He didn't speak again but the understanding was mutual. . . .





	1. {REQUESTS}

all of my motivation for anything else has just gone out of the window and all i want to do is expand my the arcana-ness

hit me up with anything ill do ANYTHING ill do ANGST or COMFORT or FLUFF or EVEN SMUT DAMMIT

ANY SHIPS ARE ALSO ACCEPTABLE  
except maybe like  
porta/julian...  
yeah im not doing that

THIS FANDOM SEEMS PRETTY RESPONSIBLE THOUGH SO IM NOT THAT SCARED

 

 ** _IMPORTANT P.S._  I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO STAY TRUE TO THE GAME AND GO FROM SECOND PERSON OR AT THE VERY LEAST IF THIRD PERSON USE GENDER NEUTRAL PRONOUNS FOR THE APPRENTICE AND NOT DESCRIBE THEM TOO MUCH SO LEAVE SOME LEEWAY**  
((but if you really really  _really_  cant stand anonymity then i  _guess_  i can change up some things...))

**P.P.S. _AAAAA AAAAAAAAAA A AAAAA AA_**


	2. One-Shots to be Expected (Probably):

**Impending Requests:**

— "Can I request a drabble for my MC and Julian?" from vesnaragast on Tumblr

— "Nadia and Julian bonding over a drink. Maybe they'll talk about their travels or something." from gaiabloom on Tumblr

— "You should do one where asra takes the reader swimming" from SUBZEROISShOOk on Wattpad

— "Nadia x female reader???" from Ink_Skribble on Wattpad

— "Heyo maybe you could do a fluff with our soft boy Julian? ^^" from undertaker_lover on Wattpad


	3. What Is Meant For You (Muriel/Asra)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anonymous on Tumblr! Hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> P.S. Oh my god, I'm so sorry anon, life's hectic, please forgive me <3

"I . . . I don't understand."

        Asra slowly looked up at the fox-headed Magician, eyes shining.

        "Why do I always . . . lose them?"

        His apprentice was lost to him again. They hardly came around to see him, and when they did, their gaze was distant . . . wistful. Someone else had swept them off their feet, he guessed. And somehow, that hurt even more.

        Asra closed his eyes, hanging his head in shame. Could he not compete with their lover? Was he not good enough?

        "The Universe never takes away what is meant for you."

        He raised his head at the silken voice, locking eyes with the Magician.

        "Are you suggesting . . . That we were never meant to be together?"

        "I am not suggesting anything." Despite the sombre tone of their voice, their eyes sparkled and their ears twitched forward curiously. "I can not answer your questions, Asra."

        "If they were meant for me, they would have stayed?"

        "Perhaps. Perhaps someone  _else_  is meant for you?"

        ". . . I don't understand."

        The Magician clasped their hands patiently. "Who  _has_  stayed with you from the beginning?"

        He lowered his eyes in thought. Who had. . .?

        He shook his head. "I can't think of anyone else."

        The fox-headed Arcana quirked an eyebrow. "No?"

        Their tone of voice made him feel like he had missed something. He wracked his brain of the people he knew.

        Ilya?  _No._  Lucio?  _Definitely not._  Muriel. . .?

        He bit his lip and the Magician leant forward. "Have you found what you're looking for?"

        "I . . . I'm not sure."

        "Have they been with you from the beginning?. . ."

         _Yes._

        ". . . Do they care for you?. . ."

         _Yes._

        ". . . And do you care for  _them_?"

         _Yes, of course._

        The Magician laughed, startling him. "I know that look." He tilted his head and smiled. "Maybe you haven't been looking at them properly."

        They swept from the simulated room, leaving Asra to think. He sat there for a long time.

 

 

The sound of the creaking door cut through the room.

        Muriel whipped around, shoulders tensed and brow furrowed in apprehension. His expression softened when his gaze landed on the white-haired magician in the doorway.

        Asra took a step inside and out of the blustering wind, slamming the door shut behind him. He was soaked from the heavy rain, hair and clothes dripping. He visibly shivered as the wood pulsed magically under his fingertips.

        Muriel lurched to his feet, grabbing a large fur from a stool nearby, and hastened toward the magician. Asra laughed, flustered, as the thick fur was wrapped around him and he was guided to sit by the fire.

        As soon as he was seated in front of the flaming logs in the hearth, Muriel bustled off around the small room, grunting to the sound of clattering china.

        He wasn't very good with Asra's tiny, delicate teacups — not with his huge, awkward hands. But still he tried his best to make his friend's favourite brew, finally bringing it over to him in trembling hands.

        Asra gave him that small, soft smile of his and took the cup gratefully. Muriel slumped down next to him with a strange, confused expression on his face. When Asra took a sip from his cup and set it down on the rug, Muriel took one of his freezing hands into his own.

        "Asra. . ." his tone was low and quiet, like distant thunder. "You could have frozen out there. What were you doing?"

        Asra tried to grin through chattering teeth. "Coming to see you, of course."

        "In this weather?" His tone was deep with concern.

        "Even if the air was thick with ash, it wouldn't stop me from coming to spend time with you."

        The sincerity in his voice stopped any further admonishment from making itself out of Muriel's throat. He swallowed, feeling his face burn. He couldn't be sure whether it was from the heat of the fire or the influence of the man sitting beside him.

        They sat in silence for a time, both gazing into the dancing flames, Asra occasionally sipping from his smoky tea. Muriel noticed with relief the colour returning to his face and the calm stillness again settling over his body.

        Sneaking a glance at the magician, he found piercing violet eyes gazing back at him, and he looked away, flushing.

        "Do you hear that?"

        The soft voice drifted up to him and he turned to look again at Asra, dubious.

        Asra only laughed.

        "The wind has stopped."

        The two turned around to look out the lone, high window above the oaken door, and found that though droplets still fell outside, warm sunshine was streaming through.

        The dimples on Asra's cheeks, Muriel thought, were heavenly.

        The silence stretched between them and he stood, uncomfortable.

        ". . . I'll go get more firewood."

        As he disappeared through the door into the rain, Asra glanced at the roaring fire, and, beside it, the stack of already-dry firewood.

 

 

Thirty minutes later the friends were sitting back in front of the fire, listening to the rain outside. Asra, sitting facing the other man, had taken Muriel's blue fingers into his own hands and was blowing warm air onto them in an attempt to heat them up. Even though his actions (for the most part) were fruitless, they didn't go unappreciated. With each visit Muriel found himself drawn more and more to his best friend, the thoughts of him harder to dislodge. He found himself counting the days, even, until his next expected visit.

        He found himself lying awake at night, unable to get the thoughts of him out of his head. If he pushed them away, they came back stronger — many of them so suffocatingly, devilishly enticing, he couldn't ignore them if he had even wanted to.

        Noticing the vacant look in his friend's eyes, Asra gave his hand a soft squeeze. Muriel's eyes lost their dreamy look and focussed back on him, questioning.

        "Just making sure you're okay." Asra smiled, rubbing his fingers. "You were soaked to the bone."

        "You're worrying about  _me_  when you made your way here in a gale?" Muriel scoffed. His expression sobered, though, when Asra shifted forward and onto his knees. A soft, coy smile lifted the corners of his lips.

        "You worry too much about me," he cooed, raising a hand to brush his thumb against his cheek. Muriel sat stock-still under the warm touch, mossy eyes wide. "You should think more about yourself."

        "I. . ." The larger man couldn't meet his eyes. "I care about you more."

        "I know," Asra replied. "But I care about  _you_ , too."

        The hut was quiet for a moment, and then Asra sat back and spoke.

        "How long have you loved me?"

        Muriel almost choked. He felt his face set aflame as he snatched a glance at the magician. ". . . What?"

        He smiled softly. He didn't speak again but the understanding was mutual.

        An empty silence settled and they sat like that for a long time, Asra patiently waiting.

        When, at last, he opened his mouth to question him, Muriel spoke up first.

        "Forever."

        A few more minutes ticked by.

        ". . . Forever. . . Ever since I met you."

        Asra's gaze was soft. "Why?"

        Muriel grunted and turned away. ". . . Does it matter."

        "Mm . . . I guess not." The magician stopped for a moment, as if listening to something, before he opened his mouth. His clothes seemed to rustle on their own as he stared into the fire.

        ". . . I'm sorry that you've been waiting for so long." He paused again, lips moving silently, and then sighed. "And . . . And for bringing my apprentice around so much. I . . . I knew you didn't like them. I just wasn't sure why."

        Inanna shifted in the corner, huffing out a small bark and seemingly startling Muriel. He thought for a moment.

        "You're . . . so cheerful. And genuine."

        Asra's eyes shifted back to him and Muriel pulled the fur tighter around his shoulders, unsettled. "You're kind. And smart. And strong. And you. . ." he paused to think, brow creased. "You always cared about me. I don't know why. You worked for . . .  _him_  to keep me safe."

        Asra's eyes darkened at the mention of Lucio. "You did too."

        ". . . Why wouldn't I?"

        "What do you mean?"

        The larger man visibly shifted further away, turning his face out of the light. "Mean? You're special."

        ". . . Muriel." He started at the soft voice and the hand on his thigh and turned, sheepishly meeting the magician's eyes. "I know . . . I know you're uncomfortable. But I'm not mad or offended or— anything like that. I just want you to know. . ." Muriel's breath caught in his chest. "I just need some time. To get used to things . . . and then I'll be right here."

        As he waited, two mossy eyes raised to meet his. For the first time since he'd met him, he thought he could see the softness, the vulnerability in those eyes.

        "I'd wait a lifetime."


End file.
